Menace: Representation

     Representation in the realm of superheroes has come a long way. Just look at the picture of the Marvel lineup at the bottom of this post. There are various things to consider when presenting anybody on a pedestal in these types of films because they are taken from fiction and capture our imaginations, forcing us to wonder what would happen if they were real. This is what makes casting for the hero, villain, and any major supporting character extremely important.

    Hero: My hero is a Hispanic male, which was done completely based on an opportunity sample but can have profound consequences on my film as a whole within represented works. This is a departure from the archaic, Captain America archetype, which is a white man fighting for truth justice, and the American way. By making my hero of the younger demographic and a Hispanic American, I am placing the spotlight on those individuals and creating someone who is more connective with individuals of similar descent. Given that there have been pushes recently to cast/showcase more diverse heroes, I think this is an extremely appropriate choice for both the industry and the audience retention. 

Villain: My villain is in a similar boat. He is also of Latin American descent, however, I am not playing him as a typical 'Spanish' villain. There are no drugs. Nothing crazy and ridiculously grand is going to be shown. This young man will be calm, collected, calculated, similar to the depiction of Russians or other 'evil' Europeans in classic action films. He will not have an exaggerated accent and will speak normally. This will be a departure from what we've seen in the past with powerful Spanish villains, with the most topical example(to my project at least) being Tuco Salamanca from Breaking Bad. I think this departure is interesting and one that could be grouped for commentary later.